There can be no denying that Mather & Platt was a unique company in
so many ways. From the employee’s point of view, it was not
merely
a place of work. It was made to feel like a ‘home from home’.
Therefore it is fitting that the spirit and philosophy of the company is still treasured and maintained by the members of the Mather & Platt Long Service Association (LSA) who gathered together on the 20th of April 2012 to mark the 60th Anniversary “Diamond Jubilee” at the Smokies Hotel, Oldham.

The Association was formed in 1952 to cement the ties of friendship and loyalty that was ever present between people who had worked together for many years. The first meeting, organised by a committee chaired by Charlie Garside of 2 Bay, consisted of over 136 employees, all with at least 30 years service, and was held at the New Shades Restaurant. Needless to say, the meeting was an unqualified success. In fact, because of space limitations, the meeting unfortunately had to be split between two rooms, although this did not prevent the spirit of enjoyment over the occasion, with Mather & Platt Chairman Loris Emerson Mather presiding over the dinner.

As a result of this first meeting, a decision was eventually taken to form an Association with the prime objective of making it an annual event.

The newly formed Association was open to all employees (including those at the Radcliffe works and the Boiler Yard in Salford) who had achieved a minimum of 30 years service with the company. The subscription was one shilling per month, and the funds gained were to subsidise the Annual Dinner.
The Association quickly gathered strength and by November 1952 the total enrolled membership was 275 totalling 10,245 years.

The first General Meeting and second Annual Dinner was held on February 27th 1953 at the Co-operative Hall, Downing Street, Ardwick. During the late 1950’s and 1960’s the Long Service Association membership grew to such an extent that the event was regularly held at the Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in order to accommodate all the attendees.

Thanks to the remarkable efforts of the successive committee members and the spirit of friendship and unity of the former Mather & Platt employees, the Long Service Association continues to flourish as strongly today as it did over 60 years ago.